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Local Arrangements Planning Guide
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Revised May 2022

Local Arrangements Committee Planning Guide

The Local Arrangements Committee (LAC) is responsible for planning and managing all meeting activities except program sessions, digital program design, vendor recruitment, and workshops.  

The LAC specific planning timeline and templates are found later in this document. An overall meeting planning timeline and other guides are available on the MARAC website at https://www.marac.info/meeting-planning-guides. Questions regarding LAC responsibilities should be directed to the Meetings Coordinating Committee Chair, Mary Mannix, at mkmannix@gmail.com.

Table of Contents

Major Responsibilities

Co-Chairs’ Duties

Committee Members’ Duties

Committee Responsibilities

Budget

Major Expenses

Major Sources of Income

Guidelines Concerning Fees and Payments (approved by Steering Committee, 1987)

MARAC Tax Status

Handling Meeting Funds

Digital Program

Publicity

Program Supplement

Tours

In-Service Project

Membership Meet and Greet

Reception

Hotel Food

Workshop Coffee Breaks

Steering Committee Supper

Friday Breakfast

Friday Luncheon

Coffee Breaks-Two Friday and One Saturday

Saturday Breakfast

Hotel Arrangements

Meeting Room Needs and Times:

Meal Function Needs:

Registration Desk Responsibilities

Registration Desk Items

Registration Staffing and Schedule

Meeting Wrap-up and Evaluations

Budget

Sample Press Release

LAC Final Report

Major Responsibilities

 

Co-Chairs’ Duties

The LAC Co-Chairs should position themselves as the central hub for the work of their committee members.  While the Co-Chairs are explicitly responsible for the hotel arrangements and appointing a committee,  the other responsibilities can be delegated. The Co-Chairs will need to supervise and troubleshoot the whole planning process, but not necessarily do all the work themselves.

The Co-Chairs should maintain constant contact with the PC Co-Chairs, Program Editor, Workshop Coordinator, Vendor Coordinator, Tour Coordinator, MARAC Administrator, Technology Coordinator, Membership Committee Chair, and hotel representative. They will also field members’ questions about the meeting. They are the face of the meeting to the membership and the outside world.

Hotel Arrangements: From the time the contract is signed until the conclusion of the meeting, the LAC Co-Chairs serve as the principal contacts for the hotel’s meeting representative.

Committee Leadership: The LAC Co-Chairs appoint a committee consisting of 12-15 MARAC members. Members of the LAC, including the co-chairs, do not have to live in the conference city but it is, of course, necessary to have pivotal committee members who do know the city well.

Committee should include both active long-time members as well as new members and should be representative of the MARAC membership.  It is also recommended to have a member of the Membership Committee serving on the LAC to simplify collaboration for the Meet & Greet reception.

There is a student registration fee for the conference, however, the LAC may allow students to attend a few sessions without paying for registration in exchange for their assistance with tours, registration desk, packet stuffing, or whatever.  The MCC Chair must approve arrangements for student attendees.

To establish the committee, LAC Co-Chairs should:

The MARAC Administrator will set up shared folders for committee use in MARAC’s Google Drive Account.  The LAC should work primarily through these folders to ensure continuity of information for future LACs. The Administrator will provide access to LAC Co-Chairs who will then manage the access for their committee members.

Committee Members’ Duties

Members who agree to serve on LAC must be prepared to assume responsibility for one or more special assignments, such as planning one of the tours.  Members should AVOID participating in meeting sessions and should NOT also be on the PC.

Other duties may include:

Committee Responsibilities

Budget

The LAC is responsible for drawing up a meeting budget based upon anticipated expenses for hotel, audiovisual, food, reception, etc., and income from registration fees, contributions, and sponsorships.

   

LAC Co-Chairs should request assistance from the Treasurer in developing the budget and in using previous meeting budgets as models.  A budget template is available at  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1R6DoaLbgrlV9A9JV-QbH3q19lPrEK5HZKS2P7NJwzos/edit?usp=sharing

Major Expenses

Major Sources of Income

Example: Base fee: $120

Members:

Pre-register early: $120

Pre-register advanced: $140

On-site registration: $160

Non-members

Pre-register early: $170

Pre-register advanced: $190

On-site registration: $210

        Students: $60

        Saturday-only: $60

Guidelines Concerning Fees and Payments (approved by Steering Committee, 1987)

Registration:  All meeting attendees, including LAC and PC members, as well as MARAC members who are program participants, are expected to pay the registration fee.  

Meals: Those attending meal functions are expected to pay for them. Exceptions to this rule should be kept to a minimum. Food is an expenditure. The following individuals may receive a complimentary invitation to a meal function at the discretion of the LAC:

The Custer and Finding Aids Committees may wish to cover breakfast expenses for non-member award recipients.  The LAC Co-Chairs should remind those committee chairs of this.

Reception: The reception is open to all meeting registrants. Exhibitors (who should be encouraged to attend), local dignitaries, plenary and luncheons speakers if not otherwise participating in the conference, and student volunteers who assist with the planning and preparation for the meeting should receive a complimentary invitation to the reception. A nominal fee, but one that does adequately reflect the expense of the caterer, is charged for guests of meeting attendees.  

MARAC Tax Status

MARAC is classified by the IRS as a 501(c)3, or charitable, organization.  Its tax identification is EIN # 23-7346917.  Though MARAC holds this status, it is ineffective in regards to most meeting expenditures. MARAC is not required to collect taxes for meeting registrations.

Handling Meeting Funds

LAC Co-Chairs should remind their committee, as well as PC and Workshop Coordinator, that receipts or other documentation, such as a memo or letter, are mandatory for all monies collected and spent for the meeting, including reimbursements for plenary speakers and workshop instructors. Any bills or payments that come to the LAC Co-Chairs should be verified for accuracy and, accompanied by receipts or other documentation, sent promptly to the Treasurer. Any questions or concerns about meeting finances should be discussed with the MCC Chair and Treasurer immediately.

After the budget is passed by Finance, MCC, and Steering, the LAC has authority to deviate in non-significant ways, taking care that “bottom line” totals remain as close to the budget as possible. This means that the Treasurer does not have to approve the change from cream puffs to brownies, as long as the total food expenditure is nearly unchanged from the budget over the course of the meeting. Big changes should be noticed and the Treasurer notified promptly - if, for example, registration numbers are very low, then the budget should be revisited in order to reduce losses if possible.

The Administrator will process registration and sponsorship payments, deposit checks and cash received, forward deposit information to the Treasurer, and coordinate with Vendor Coordinator to obtain outstanding vendor payments.

Full refunds for cancellations can be made up to two weeks prior to the meeting, and the refund deadline must be printed on the registration form.  After the deadline, the LAC Co-Chairs have the authority to give refunds, but only in the case of serious personal or family emergency. The LAC Co-Chairs should communicate this information to the Administrator and Treasurer.  The Administrator will provide refunds for credit card payments, and the Treasurer will provide refunds for check payments after the MARAC meeting.

Digital Program

The digital program is MARAC’s most direct communication with the membership concerning the meeting.  The Program Editor is responsible for gathering and editing the text of the program, but the LAC contributes significant portions of the text.  The Program Editor will provide information to the LAC regarding their contribution requirements 7-9 months before the meeting.

MARAC uses the Dickinson College Print Center to design the conference programs. The Program Editor provides a PDF of the program to the MARAC Administrator to post on the MARAC website.  LAC Co-Chairs will provide additional information to the Administrator for the website such as a special link needed to register with the conference hotel and any association discount codes available to offer.   LAC Co-Chairs will provide information to the Administrator to update MARAC’s conference webpage as needed and to send email blasts to members that highlight different aspects of the meeting.  

The Administrator will create and test (with LAC’s assistance) the online registration form for the conference.  It is critical that the LAC verify that all information in the form is correct, not just test the functionality. Once approved, the Administrator will announce via the MARAC e-mail list the opening of the conference registration and provide the link to the conference program online.

Publicity

The LAC has primary responsibility for writing meeting publicity. Meeting notification should go out to the membership through the MARAC website, the Mid-Atlantic Archivist, social media channels and by presenting at the Business Meeting program. MAA publicity should appear in the two issues immediately before the meeting and should be coordinated with the newsletter editor.  Feel free to begin submitting material to the MAA editor and social media channels, especially images, as soon as the site is chosen.  The more coverage there is the better. MAA Deadlines are December 1 (winter issue), March 1 (spring issue), June 1 (summer issue), and September 1 (fall issue). Articles should include information about the site of the meeting and/or the hotel, the program sessions, the plenary and luncheon speakers, suggested transportation to the meeting, and special events, such as the tours and reception. These subjects should also be touched upon in the slide presentation given at the MARAC Saturday business meeting at the immediately preceding meeting.

The bulk of the publicity effort is directed at MARAC members, but professionals in allied fields who might be interested, especially those near the meeting site, should be notified by LAC  through e-mail lists and social media.  Announcements should include the link to the conference webpage and be made regularly on SAA’s Archives and Archivists E-mail list, forwarded to the nearby other archival regionals (such as NEA and MAC) and regional state library lists. The list for the History Section of RUSA, ALA would also be relevant.  

Stand-alone messages, separate from the general conference announcement, about each workshop  should be sent to the library, museum, and history lists in the state where the conference is to occur.  The Education Committee should handle this.  

Program Supplement

To reduce costs and operate sustainably, MARAC encourages attendees to use the online schedule application to conveniently access the most up-to-date information at conference time. Printed supplements will be provided to those who request them on their registration form.  Prior to printing the supplement, the LAC should verify the number requested as reported on the latest registration update report provided by the Administrator.

The LAC will provide a photocopied document that includes the following:

If time permits, the Program Editor may design the supplement. The point is to provide last-minute information as briefly and cheaply as possible.  If time doesn’t allow, then LAC is responsible for creating the supplement.  If there is no one on the LAC who can do any needed photocopying, and subsidize the cost, these costs should be factored into your budget.

The LAC should share the supplement information with the PC for them to update the online event schedule. They should keep the PC apprised of changes throughout the conference to ensure that the online schedule is correct.

Tours

Popular tour sites include archival repositories, historical sites, museums, scenic areas, industrial sites, or areas where local products, such as beer or wine, are made. Walking tours of historic urban areas and cemeteries are also popular. Tours are offered the Thursday before the meeting and also occasionally on Saturday. Complete tour descriptions, times, and the minimum and maximum number of participants for each tour must be provided in the program .  

 

Having an adequate number of LAC members onsite to cover registration and the tour activities is critical to the success of the meeting. Please keep this in mind when planning tours that are a distance from the conference site and require much effort on the part of LAC members to plan and carry out.

Tour Coordinator should work closely with the Administrator to ensure that tours are not overbooked, that spaces are sold at the registration desk for tours that have availability, and that the deadline to register for each tour is determined. The Tour Coordinator must recruit a paying chaperone, preferably from within the LAC, for each tour.

Tour fees:

Tour registration:

Tour waitlists:

Tour cancellation:

 

Tour confirmation emails: Tour Coordinator will email a tour confirmation message to each list of tour registrants. Message should include, at a minimum, tour meeting time and location and the name and contact information of the tour chaperone.

Payments to tour providers:

On-site Procedures:

In-Service Project

The LAC may choose to host an "In-Service Project" on the Thursday of the MARAC meeting as an opportunity for MARAC members to assist local organizations such as community corporations and citizen’s groups that do not employ an archivist with processing or condition assessment.

 The LAC will have to identify local organizations that might benefit from this service, taking into consideration location and resources. Transferring collections to the conference hotel for the day is also an option. The LAC will have to budget for any refreshments, transportation, supplies, or other expenses, and locating a vendor to contribute supplies can be helpful. The LAC should be prepared for the possibility of a benefiting organization dropping out a few weeks before the event.  Personnel and organizational changes can happen.  

The Administrator will provide a list of the volunteers for the In-Service Project to the event coordinator when pre-registration closes.  The coordinator will send an email with the details of the event to the participants. Frequently, many participants who originally signed up may cancel or simply not show up. Even so, an In-Service Project can be a valuable experience, both for the participating organizations and the MARAC members.

Membership Meet and Greet

The LAC will work with the Membership Committee to host the Membership Meet & Greet on the first night of each conference. While the Membership Committee is responsible for the content of the event and selecting the refreshments, the LAC serves as the liaison with the hotel to book the space and order the food.

Reception

The reception, held on Friday evening, provides a place for everyone to gather informally. Ideal sites for the reception include historical societies, art galleries, university libraries, state archives, historic buildings, etc. In selecting a site, LAC must check for handicapped accessibility in any parts of the building to be used during the reception. In large cities, the cost of holding the reception offsite might be prohibitive; also holding the reception in the conference hotel may be needed to meet the high food and beverage minimums required in these cities.  The LAC Co-Chairs have the authority to sign contracts with the reception venue and any caterers.  If they are not comfortable signing a contract, they can forward it to either the MCC Chair or the Treasurer, but they do have the authority, as long as it is in keeping with the approved budget.

The LAC should make concerted efforts to secure sponsorship for this event from a vendor, local institution, or business. Sponsorship becomes more critical if expenses for the reception are steep. Costs may include rental of the site, insurance, transportation from and to the hotel, and catering (service, food, drink, etc.).  The LAC should notify the Treasurer as soon as a reception site is confirmed, so that he/she can obtain event insurance.  Without substantial sponsorship, it is best to keep the arrangements simple. The reception should not be seen as a dinner, light refreshments are preferable unless a generous sponsor has been obtained.

Attendees may purchase tickets for guests to attend the reception through the registration form or on-site at the registration table. If the reception includes a cash bar, a reception drink ticket might be needed for attendees and guests to submit when ordering a beverage.  If a beverage reception ticket is needed, contact the Administrator so that these tickets can be created and included in the conference registration envelopes.

Expenses and invoices or receipts should be provided to the Treasurer in a timely manner. The expense reimbursement form can be found here: https://marac.memberclicks.net/reimbursement-form. If an invoice or receipt cannot be provided, an expense description may be approved by the Treasurer on a case by case basis.

Hotel Food

The LAC works with the hotel to plan the following food functions.  Unless a plated meal, food should be ordered for approximately 75% of attendees at most.  The LAC should attempt to provide foods to accommodate special dietary needs.  In addition, the hotel should provide pitchers of water and glasses in all of the meeting rooms throughout the conference.

Workshop Coffee Breaks

The participants’ registration fees cover the cost of these breaks. LAC will determine the final count for these breaks based on the workshop attendance figures provided by the Administrator.

Breaks for workshops occur in mid-morning and mid-afternoon, and should:

Steering Committee Supper

Typically, the Steering Committee is served dinner on the Thursday evening of the conference. If the menu cost of the conference hotel is especially high, the Steering Committee may choose to avoid this expense by eating on their own prior to the meeting, limiting the food to snack/dessert and beverages, or convening at a restaurant outside the hotel. Occasionally, however, the expenditure of the Steering Committee dinner is needed to assure reaching the hotel’s Food and Beverage minimum. Consult with the MARAC Chair before planning this supper with the hotel.

Friday Breakfast

The registration fee covers the cost of this continental breakfast. At the least, the meal should include coffees (regular and decaffeinated), teas (regular and herbal), water, a variety of pastries, including some that are not sweet, juice, and fruit. Some members do appreciate soda, as well. Be sure to include items that accommodate attendee dietary needs such as gluten free, vegetarian, vegan, dairy free, etc

Friday Luncheon

Meal Selection: The lunch is usually a substantial hot meal, which should include dessert.

Meal Format: Generally, in the interest of time it is served banquet style. If buffet style is chosen, there must be a number of lines to accommodate the crowd quickly so as to not disrupt the luncheon speaker program.  

Room Layout should include:

Contact the Administrator as soon as the luncheon arrangements are decided.  Meal tickets will need to be created in accordance with meal format.  The Administrator will coordinate printing the tickets and including them in the attendee registration envelopes.  During the luncheon, the hotel staff will either collect the ticket or  just use it as a reference to deliver the correct meal.  

Coffee Breaks-Two Friday and One Saturday

The breaks should be held in or adjacent to the exhibit area on Friday.  Preferably, a Saturday break should be offered but can be eliminated as a cost cutting measure.

Mid-morning breaks should include coffees, teas, water, and juices. If the budget allows, add some kind of pastry, along with fruit, for those who missed breakfast. The mid-afternoon break should include soft drinks (diet and regular), some without caffeine, water, and juice; add fruit and/or cookies if funds allow. If affordable, replacing the standard cookies with a local “treat” is a great touch, such as soft pretzels, ice cream, etc.

Saturday Breakfast

This meal takes place immediately before the MARAC business meeting. It may be served buffet or banquet style but is always a hot meal.  Make sure to consult with the LAC for the next meeting, as well as the MARAC Chair, to determine their audio-visual equipment needs.

Hotel Arrangements

The LAC Co-Chairs should coordinate room assignments for sessions based on session counts provided by the Administrator. PC Co-Chairs should be consulted in this matter and should take the lead in assigning the rooms.  After a call by the MCC Chair to the Steering Committee the MARAC’s committee chairs should contact the LAC Co-Chairs to schedule their Thursday afternoon meetings.  

A shared spreadsheet can be set up in Google Drive for everyone to access to more easily share this information.  These meetings last for 1-2 hours so LAC should be able to schedule several to a room.  Some committee chairs will ask for specific times to allow members to attend multiple meetings.  If LAC does not hear from a committee chair, space should not be scheduled as not all committees will meet at each meeting.  Some hotel contracts do not include meeting space and committee chairs must find alternate locations. LAC will do their best to provide meeting space for all committee chairs who desire it but meeting space is never guaranteed.

The guidelines which follow lay out the meeting room needs for Thursday through Saturday of a typical meeting, as well as the food function needs.

Meeting Room Needs and Times:

DAY

TIME

Need

Capacity

Wednesday

6:00pm-8:00pm

Registration Table and Storage Room

Thursday

7:00am-6:00pm

Registration Area and Storage Room

Thursday

8:00am-5:00pm

Workshops (half & full day)

Convenient location for breaks

15-30 Classroom Style

(3-5 rooms)

Thursday

1:00pm-6:00pm

Committee Meetings

10-15 Meeting Style

(3-5 rooms including space vacated by workshops, committees can meet in public locations as well)

Thursday

6:00pm-9:00pm

Steering Committee Board Meeting

Plan for food service

25-30 Meeting Style

Thursday

7:00pm-10:00pm

Membership Meet & Greet (optional based on meeting budget - a sponsor is strongly encouraged) Plan for food and drink, if financially possible 

100-150 cocktail style event with cocktail tables scattered throughout space - ice-breaker event with games and social interaction 

Friday

7:00am-5:00pm

Registration Area and Storage

Friday

7:00am-5:00pm

Exhibit Area

Space for Continental Breakfast and Breaks.

(These food functions should occur with the vendors or as close as conceivably possible. There must be a very good reason to not have them with the vendors.)

15-20 Tables

Friday

9:00am-10:00am

Optional:  Plenary Session, usually a.m., approx. 1.5 hours; plan audio-visual equipment and screen.

200-250 Theater Style

Friday

10:30am-6:00 pm

Panel Sessions

50-75 Theater

(2-3 rooms)

75-100 Theater

(2 rooms)

Note:

Classroom Style is desirable if space allows but theater is the default.

Friday

12:15pm-1:45pm

Luncheon with speaker

Podium, audio-visual equipment, and screen

Rounds for 150-175

Friday

6:00pm-9:00pm

Reception

Offsite preferable

Saturday

7:00am-1:00pm

Registration Area and Storage

Saturday

8:00am-9:30am

Breakfast Business Meeting

Podium, audio-visual equipment, and screen

Rounds for 100-125

Saturday

9:45am-1:00pm

Panel Sessions

50-75 Theater

(2 rooms)

75-100 Theater

(2 rooms)

Classroom Style is desirable if space allows but theater is the default.

Meal Function Needs:

Day

Need

Capacity

Thursday

Mid-morning workshop break

Coffee, tea, snack for 50-75

Thursday

Mid-afternoon workshop break

Sodas, fruit juice, snack for 50-75

Thursday

Board Meeting Dinner   Note-The MARAC Chair may elect to eliminate this meal, or simply serve dessert, to reduce expenses.

Light buffet for 25-35 (Note: Spring Conference – both current and newly elected members might attend)

Friday

Continental Breakfast (in vendor area)

200-250

Friday

Luncheon

Hot meal (plated) for 150-175

Friday

Mid-morning session break

Coffee, tea, snack for 200-250

Friday

Mid-afternoon session break

Sodas, fruit juice, snack for 200-250

Saturday

Breakfast/Business Meeting

Hot meal (buffet) for 75-100

Saturday

Break (Optional)

Beverage and snack for 50-75

Registration Desk Responsibilities

The registration table serves as a center of information about the meeting, the local area, and MARAC. It is essential that this area is welcoming and friendly as it is the first impression for attendees and a critical touchpoint for new members and attendees. In addition to the staff at the table, greeters can be placed at the hotel entrance or ahead of the table to welcome attendees.

If possible, there should also be a separate table in the registration area for MARAC membership brochures and other promotional literature. On the Wednesday afternoon before the conference, the LAC should make arrangements to meet with the MARAC Administrator to review the hotel layout and expectations for registration.  

Registration Desk Items

The LAC is responsible for having these materials available for attendees at the registration table:

The Administrator will bring the following materials:

Registration Staffing and Schedule

Staffing:

Hours: 

On-site Registration: Be prepared for 25 or more people to register during the meeting. Generally the more accessible the meeting site (such as meetings on the I-95 Corridor), or to the existence of a sizable archival student population in the area, the greater the number of on-site registrants.

 

Meeting Wrap-up and Evaluations

Immediately after the conference, the MARAC Administrator will launch the meeting  and workshop surveys for attendees to complete.  The survey runs for two weeks and the Administrator then distributes the results to LAC and MCC.

It is generally appreciated that the LAC writes thank you notes to tour operators and others who helped to make the local arrangements portions of the conference a success.

After the dust has settled from the meeting, the LAC Co-Chairs must write a final report and upload it to the shared conference reports folder.  The comments portion should include an evaluation of the local arrangements, including problems encountered and recommendations for future LACs.

LAC Planning Timeline

MARAC plans for its meetings on a cycle that begins a year and a half or 3 meetings in advance. The prior semi-annual meetings provide LACs and PCs excellent opportunities for these committees to meet in advance.

Timeframe

Task

18 months

before meeting

  • Co-Chairs meet with MCC Chair to review meeting manual, recent evaluations from attendees, and reports from LACs and PCs
  • Conference is announced on MARAC website with LAC/PC chairs listed, hotel rate, dates and venue

14 months

  • Co-Chairs form committee (members must be MARAC members), discuss assignments, and form subcommittees for publicity, sponsors, reception, tours, registration, hotel food functions, audio-visual set-up, transportation options, and directions
  • Begin search for reception site
  • Coordinate with Administrator:
  • Provide a Call for Committee Members to send to membership
  • Request list of members who expressed interest in serving on LAC by geographic location
  • Notify of committee members for e-list

At 2nd meeting prior (12 months preceding)

  • Provide status report to  MCC
  • Hold first LAC meeting to assign responsibilities, define tasks, and establish timeline
  • Decide whether to plan an In-Service Project for the meeting
  • Contact Treasurer for budget template and estimate of program design expense

9 - 7 months

  • Send meeting notice to SAA, social media and other relevant e-mail lists such as nearby state library associations, MAAM, and the local historical community
  • Finalize reception arrangement; select caterer and menu
  • Contact Membership Chair about Meet & Greet room space and refreshments.
  • Write brief article about the meeting for MAA
  • If offering an in-service project, select venue – consider distance, cost, facilities, safety, parking; solicit supply donors
  • Draft budget in consultation with PC Co-Chairs and Workshop Coordinator, and submit to MCC Chair and Treasurer for preliminary review
  • Notify Vendor Coordinator of  hotel’s contact person for arranging/receiving shipped exhibit materials  

At meeting

(6 months preceding)

  • Provide status report to MCC
  • Present budget for MCC, Finance, and Steering Committee approval
  • Meet with vendors and invite them to the next meeting
  • Work with Vendor Coordinator to identify local or regional businesses that may be potential vendors. These should be in addition to the database and may include architects, office supply companies, etc.
  • At business meeting, give humorous slide presentation to MARAC membership inviting them to the next meeting

5 months

  • Provide hotel reservation link and booking deadline to Administrator
  • Finalize tour arrangements such as chaperones, transportation, food, tickets, and as necessary
  • Contact Membership Committee Chair about Meet & Greet needs
  • Finalize transportation arrangements for reception, if necessary
  • Write second article for MAA; send second notices to SAA, other relevant organizations and E-mail lists
  • Solicit local sponsors to subsidize the reception, coffee breaks, and other events.
  • Provide LAC-related material for the program to include images of local historical sites and other related topics to the Program Editor

4 months

  • Work with Administrator on the following:
  • Provide descriptions of luncheon entrees
  • Confirm use of reception tickets
  • Approve name badge layout
  • Make tentative arrangements with the hotel for meals and breaks
  • Collect local brochures to have available at registration table

3 months

  • Review program drafts
  • Assist Administrator with testing registration form and reviewing opening announcement. It is critical that the LAC verify that all information in the form is correct, not just test the functionality. Once approved, the
  • Provide Administrator the meal format and menu for Steering Committee dinner and description of vendor box lunches/pricing
  • Contact PC to finalize audio-visual needs for program participants
  • Provide image for website home page banner to Web Team

11 Weeks

  • Administrator will announce via the MARAC e-mail list the opening of the conference registration and provide link to the conference program online.
  • Share announcement with SAA, other relevant organizations and E-mail lists

8 Weeks

  • Review draft evaluation survey
  • Contact hotel for room reservation statistics and provide Administrator with response to inquiries if hotel is close to full
  • Contact standing committee chairs through the MCC Chair as well as LAC and PC chairs (consult website or MCC Chair for their names) for upcoming meeting, to determine meeting times and locations to publish in online schedule and supplement

6  Weeks

  • Confirm audio-visual needs one more time to avoid last minute surprises
  • Compile information for supplement and consult Program Editor if time allows
  • Assemble information packets for In-Service Project participants

4 weeks

  • Participate in on-site hotel visit with MCC Chair
  • Set registration desk schedule with LAC members and review the rest of the meeting strategy with committee
  • Tour Coordinator:
  • Coordinate payment arrangements for tour providers with Treasurer
  • Notify Administrator of what tours may be open for on-site registration based on payment arrangements

 2 weeks

  • Make any necessary alterations in plan for tours; keep in touch with PC and Workshop Coordinator regarding room assignments
  • Collaborate with Vendor Coordinator to plan the vendor space, taking care to assign prime locations to those who are giving extra support to the meeting
  • Create acknowledgement signs for local sponsors to display at sponsored events
  • Print supplement
  • Send tour confirmation emails to tour registrants
  • Work with Administrator  on the following:
  • Headcounts meals, reception, etc.
  • Confirm number of meals that may be sold on-site
  • Registration desk shift coverage

Week before

  • Meet with hotel representative to report food function numbers and review all activity and food arrangements, audio-visual needs, etc.
  • Ensure Treasurer has information to pay tour providers

Week of

  • Wednesday afternoon: meet with hotel representative for overview of hotel layout and key hotel contacts
  • Assemble meeting packets, if using, with LAC committee members containing local information

At Meeting

  • Staff registration table: answer questions; provide assistance and directions, as needed
  • Liaise with hotel
  • Lead tours and oversee special events
  • Oversee vendor area with Vendor Coordinator
  • Ensure adequacy and proper placement of signage for events, sessions, tours, and workshops
  • Monitor sessions and A/V needs

Week after

  • Send thank you notes as specified in Meeting Manual.

2 weeks to 2 months after the meeting

  • If necessary, track down any outstanding bills and otherwise assist Treasurer in closing out meeting finances
  • Approve final refunds with Administrator
  • Review evaluation surveys
  • Meet with MARAC Treasurer to finalize expenses and financial report
  • Write final report and upload to shared drive
  • Delete drafts or unused documents from Google cloud space.  Ensure all records in shared drives are accessible to all.
  • Write wrap-up/summary article of about 700 words for next newsletter

Review  Meeting

  • Review final report and provide suggestions for future meeting planning

Templates

Budget

NOTE: This template is just a sample. A template is also available at https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1R6DoaLbgrlV9A9JV-QbH3q19lPrEK5HZKS2P7NJwzos/edit?usp=sharing

MARAC [SPRING/FALL] [year] MEETING                                [Location]

Proposed Budget - Summary

Category

 

Total for 250 Attendees

 

Total for 300 Attendees

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

INCOME

 

 

 

 

 

Registration Fees

 

$25,650.00

 

$30,600.00

 

Exhibitor Fees

 

$10,900.00

 

$10,900.00

 

Meals

 

$5,125.00

 

$6,250.00

 

Reception

 

$1,200.00

 

$1,300.00

 

Tour Fees

 

$650.00

 

$975.00

 

Workshop Fees

 

$5,625.00

 

$7,200.00

 

Total Income

 

$49,150.00

 

$57,225.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EXPENSES

 

 

 

 

 

    Administrative Services

 

$5,000.00

 

$5,000.00

 

Hospitality Suite

 

$250.00

 

$250.00

 

Hotel Expenses

 

$9,500.00

 

$10,250.00

 

LAC Expenses

 

$250.00

 

$250.00

 

Meal Expenses

 

$15,750.00

 

$18,725.00

 

Reception

 

$7,650.00

 

$9,650.00

 

Registration/Program

 

$3,250.00

 

$3,250.00

 

Session/Plenary Speakers

 

$335.00

 

$335.00

 

Tour Expenses

 

$500.00

 

$500.00

 

Workshop Expenses

 

$2,550.00

 

$2,550.00

 

Total Expenses

 

$45,035.00

 

$50,760.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NET INCOME / PROJECTED PROFIT

 

$4,115.00

 

$6,465.00

 

Proposed Budget – Income Estimates

Category

 Cost/Item

250 Atten.

 Total  

 

 Cost/Item

300 Atten.

 Total

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

INCOME

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Registration Fees

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pre-Reg Members

$95.00

140

$13,300.00

 

$95.00

175

$16,625.00

Pre-Reg Non-Members

$135.00

35

$4,725.00

 

$135.00

25

$3,375.00

Late Reg  Members

$105.00

25

$2,625.00

 

$105.00

25

$2,625.00

Late Reg  Non-Members

$145.00

10

$1,450.00

 

$145.00

10

$1,450.00

Member, on-site

$115.00

15

$1,725.00

 

$115.00

25

$2,875.00

Non-member, on-site

$155.00

5

$775.00

 

$155.00

15

$2,325.00

Student registration

$50.00

10

$500.00

 

$50.00

10

$500.00

One day (Saturday only)

$55.00

10

$550.00

 

$55.00

15

$825.00

Total Registration Fees

 

250

$25,650.00

 

 

300

$30,600.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibitor Fees

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ads

$100.00

2

$200.00

 

$100.00

2

$200.00

Donations/Sponsorships

$250.00

8

$2,000.00

 

$250.00

8

$2,000.00

Rental - 1 Table

$600.00

12

$7,200.00

 

$600.00

12

$7,200.00

Rental - 2 Tables

$750.00

2

$1,500.00

 

$750.00

2

$1,500.00

Total Exhibitor Fees

 

 

$10,900.00

 

 

 

$10,900.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meals

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Breakfast - Business Mtg.

$20.00

100

$2,000.00

 

$20.00

125

$2,500.00

Lunch - Friday

$25.00

125

$3,125.00

 

$25.00

150

$3,750.00

Total Meals

 

 

$5,125.00

 

 

 

$6,250.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reception

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sponsorship

$500.00

2

$1,000.00

 

$500.00

2

$1,000.00

Guest Tickets

$20.00

10

$200.00

 

$20.00

15

$300.00

Total Reception Income

 

 

$1,200.00

 

 

 

$1,300.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tour Fees

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tour #1

$25.00

10

$250.00

 

$25.00

15

$375.00

Tour #2

$10.00

10

$100.00

 

$10.00

15

$150.00

Tour #3

$10.00

10

$100.00

 

$10.00

15

$150.00

Tour #4

$5.00

10

$50.00

 

$5.00

15

$75.00

Tour #5

$5.00

10

$50.00

 

$5.00

15

$75.00

Tour #6

$5.00

10

$50.00

 

$5.00

15

$75.00

Total Tour Fees

 

 

$650.00

 

 

 

$975.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Workshop Fees

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Workshop #1

$90.00

20

$1,800.00

 

$90.00

25

$2,250.00

Workshop #2

$90.00

20

$1,800.00

 

$90.00

25

$2,250.00

Workshop #3

$90.00

15

$1,350.00

 

$90.00

20

$1,800.00

Workshop #4

$45.00

15

$675.00

 

$45.00

20

$900.00

Total Workshop Fees

 

 

$5,625.00

 

 

 

$7,200.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Income

 

 

$49,150.00

 

 

 

$57,225.00

Proposed Budget – Expense Estimates

Category

 Cost/Item

250 Attendees

 Total  

 

 Cost/Item

300 Attendees

 Total

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EXPENSES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    Administrative Services

 

 

$5,000.00

 

 

 

$5,000.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    Hospitality Suite

 

 

$250.00

 

 

 

$250.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hotel Expenses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AV Equipment Tech

 

 

$5,000.00

 

 

 

$5,000.00

AV Equipment Rental

 

 

$250.00

 

 

 

$250.00

Room Rentals

 

 

$0.00

 

 

 

$0.00

Miscellaneous Expenses

 

 

$250.00

 

 

 

$250.00

Taxes / Fees

 

 

$4,000.00

 

 

 

$4,750.00

   Total Hotel Expenses

 

 

$9,500.00

 

 

 

$10,250.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   LAC Expenses

 

 

$250.00

 

 

 

$250.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meal Expenses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Breakfast Buffet - Sat

$30.00

100

$3,000.00

 

$30.00

125

$3,750.00

Continental Breakfast - Fri

$20.00

200

$4,000.00

 

$20.00

225

$4,500.00

Coffee Breaks Thur (AM & PM)

$10.00

75

$750.00

 

$10.00

85

$850.00

Coffee Breaks Fri (AM & PM)

$10.00

375

$3,750.00

 

$10.00

450

$4,500.00

Lunch - Friday (meat)

$35.00

100

$3,500.00

 

$35.00

125

$4,375.00

Lunch - Friday (veg)

$30.00

25

$750.00

 

$30.00

25

$750.00

Steering Committee - Th

$40.00

20

$800.00

 

$40.00

20

$800.00

   Total Meal Expenses

 

 

$15,750.00

 

 

 

$18,725.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reception

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Caterer

 

 

$6,000.00

 

 

 

$8,000.00

Entertainment

 

 

$250.00

 

 

 

$250.00

Insurance

 

 

$400.00

 

 

 

$400.00

Facility Fees

 

 

$1,000.00

 

 

 

$1,000.00

   Total Reception Costs

 

 

$7,650.00

 

 

 

$9,650.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Registration/Program

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Program

 

 

$3,000.00

 

 

 

$3,000.00

Folders, Badges, etc.

 

 

$250.00

 

 

 

$250.00

   Total Registration/Program Costs

 

 

$3,250.00

 

 

 

$3,250.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Session/Plenary Speakers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lodging

 

 

$200.00

 

 

 

$200.00

Meals

 

 

$35.00

 

 

 

$35.00

Travel

 

 

$100.00

 

 

 

$100.00

   Total Session/Plenary Costs

 

 

$335.00

 

 

 

$335.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   Total Tour Expenses

 

 

$500.00

 

 

 

$500.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Workshop Expenses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Honoraria

 

 

$1,750.00

 

 

 

$1,750.00

Lodging/Meals

 

 

$500.00

 

 

 

$500.00

Travel (Speakers)

 

 

$200.00

 

 

 

$200.00

Misc. Expenses

 

 

$100.00

 

 

 

$100.00

   Total Workshop Expenses

 

 

$2,550.00

 

 

 

$2,550.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     Total Expenses

 

 

$45,035.00

 

 

 

$50,760.00

Sample Press Release

The Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference (MARAC) will be holding its 70th biannual conference at the Radisson Lackawanna Station Hotel from Thursday, April 19 to Saturday, April 21, 2007.  MARAC, founded in 1972, is an association of professionals interested in the preservation and use of archival and historical research materials.  MARAC's mission is to assist and support professional and volunteer archivists, manuscript curators and records managers in obtaining continuing education.  The Scranton meeting will have the theme Shifting Gears: Labor, Business, and Archives in the Workplace and will emphasize labor and industrial archives as well as the latest in cutting-edge computer technology for organizing historical records.  More than 70 speakers will discuss archival methodology in 22 sessions.  The conference will also feature a plenary session featuring Thomas Dublin, professor of history at Binghamton University, discussing his newest book, The Face of Decline: The Pennsylvania Anthracite Region in the 20th Century and a luncheon talk featuring William Kashatus, author of One Armed Wonder: Pete Gray, Wartime Baseball and the American Dream, discussing Pete Gray and the role of baseball in assimilating immigrant coal miners into American culture.  Conference attendees will have a reception at the Trolley Museum and will have the option of touring the Anthracite Mine Museum and Lackawanna Coal Mine, the Celeste Bartos Film Preservation Center in Hamlin, or to take walking tours of Scranton guided by Lackawanna Historical Society staff.  Approximately 225 of the organization's 1,100 members are expected to attend the Scranton conference.  MARAC, a nonprofit organization, has received generous sponsorships for this conference from the Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority, Camp Hill and Hazelton-based digitization specialists IMR, and other archival companies.

Attendees may register on-site at the conference.  To register in advance, please visit MARAC's website at http://www.marac.info or contact [local arrangement contact phone and e-mail].

LAC Final Report

Meeting:

Dates:

Location:

LAC Co-Chairs:

For each category report the information requested:

Registration:

Hotel:

Meals:

        

Breaks:

For Each Tour:

Reception:

Meeting and Workshop Rooms:

        

Exhibits:

Comments on Local Arrangements aspects of meeting:

Suggested revisions for Meetings Policy Handbook: